Charles Stewart Parnell - Divorce Crisis

Divorce Crisis

Parnell's leadership was first put to the test in February 1886 when he forced the candidature of Captain William O'Shea, who had negotiated the Kilmainham Treaty, for a Galway seat by-election. Parnell rode roughshod over his lieutenants Healy, Dillon and O'Brien who were not in favour of O'Shea. Galway was the harbinger of the fatal crisis to come. O'Shea had already separated from his wife Katharine O'Shea, but would not divorce her as she was expecting a substantial inheritance. Mrs. O'Shea acted as liaison in 1885 with Gladstone during proposals for the First Home Rule Bill. Parnell later took up residence with her in Eltham, Kent in the summer of 1886, and was a known overnight visitor at the O'Shea house in Brockley, London. When Mrs O’Shea’s aunt died in 1899, her money was left in trust (later inherited by cousins).

On 24 December 1889, Captain O'Shea filed for divorce, citing Parnell as co-respondent, although the case did not come for trial until 15 November 1890. It was soon 'revealed' (though it had been widely known among politicians at Westminster) that Parnell had been the long-term partner of Mrs O'Shea (also known derogatively as "Kitty") and had fathered three of her children. Meanwhile, Parnell assured the Irish Party that there was no need to fear the verdict; he would be exonerated. During January 1890, resolutions of confidence in his leadership were passed throughout the country.

Parnell did not contest the divorce case on 15 November to ensure that it would be granted and he could marry Mrs O'Shea; so Captain O'Shea's allegations went unchallenged. A divorce decree was granted on 17 November 1890 and Parnell's two children were placed in O'Shea's custody (his first child having died when he was in Kilmainham Gaol). The next day, the Irish National League passed a resolution upholding his leadership. The Catholic Church hierarchy in Ireland was largely silent, some bishops explicitly declaring the issue to be purely political, though divorce is forbidden under Catholic doctrine and most of Parnell's supporters were members of the Catholic Church. As co-respondent, Parnell was legally the apparent cause of the divorce, so that it was rather the 'nonconformist conscience' in England which openly rebelled against him, and resulted in Gladstone's warning, given to Justin McCarthy as intermediary, that if Parnell retained leadership, it would mean the loss of the next election, the end of their alliance and also of Home Rule. When the annual party leadership election was held on 25 November, this threat was not conveyed to the members whom Parnell managed to control, until they loyally re-elected their 'chief' in his office. Gladstone published his warning in a letter the next day; subsequently, angry members demanded a new meeting, called for 1 December.